Flying machine



D. B. HOLSON.

FLYING MACHINE.

ngaucmon FILED JULY 21,1919.

Patented Apr. 25, 1922.

UNITED STATES PATENT omen.

DWIGHT BI HOLSON, L65 ANGEES, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF T0 1 ALBERT B. HOLSON, 015 L0 S ANGELES, CALIFORNIA.

FLYING MACHINE.

Application fi1ed- July 21,

1 useful Improvements in Flying -Machines, of which the following is a specificatlon.

This invention relates to.flying machines i and particularly to machines adapted to be propelled vertically as well as horizontally. It is an object of the invention to provide a machine of this character which will be simple and efficient.

A particular object of the invention 1s to provide a machine of this character which will be capable of being driven ahead, or horizontally, at the same time it is being sus' pended, or driven vertically. The means for driving or propelling the machine horizontally is independent of the means for suspending or propelling it-vertically, and the means for propelling it vertically is adjustable-that 1s-it may be setso as .to help to propel'the machine horizontally as well as to propel it vertically. This independence of horizontal and vertical propelling means and the adjustability of the vertical propelling 'means allows the machine to be controlled or manoeuvered very easily. The machine being easily controlled and capable of being propelled vertically makes it require only a smalls ace on which to land. This fact makes t e machine particularly adapted for use in large cities where large landing spaces 5 are not available. Another feature of the invention which makes it of greatcommen cial value is the high speed at which it may be driven. The machine may be propelled at a veryhigh speed when the vertical propelling means is adjusted or set in such a manner as to propel the machine horizontally and thereby assist the horizontal propelling means.

- may be made to suit various conditions, but

it is preferred that the reduction is such as,

Speciiication of Letters Patent. P tented Apr. 25, 1922.

1919. Serial No. 312,371.

to allow the engine to 'run at its most .eflicient 155 speed and also cause the propellers to be driven at their most eflicient speed. The. lightness of the mechanism which effects these results is a particular feature of the invention. Although the mechanism is light and simple, it is so arranged as to be particularly stron and durable. 'Due to thesimplicity of t e mechanism and its novel arrangement, high mechanical efliciency is attained. The efficiency thus attained in the vertical propelling mechanism adds greatly to the ultimate efiiciency of the entire machine.

Other. objects and features of the inven' tion will be readily understood from the '70 following detailed description of a preferred form of the invention throughout which reference is had to the accompanying drawing,f

. in' which Fig. 1 is a plan view of the machine showing the arrangement of the horizontal driving means and also the vertical driving means; Fig. 2-is an enlarged detail section taken as indicated by line"2 -2 on Fig.- 1 and shows the arrangement of the vertical driving mechanism controllever, Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail section takenas indicated by line. 33 on Fig. 1; Fig. 41s an enlarged detail section taken as indicatedby. line 44 on Fig.1; and Fig. 5 is a plan view of the parts shown in Fig. 3, andis taken as indicated by line 5 -5 on Fig. 3. I

Inthe drawings numeral 10 designates the fuselage -or bodyof the machine to which are attached the wings 11. Although the body 10 may be made in various forms or shapes it is preferred that it be made substantially in'the shape of a torpedo, and that the o'c cupants seat be placed in the forward end of the body. Mounted at the rear end of the body 10 there may be elevators '13 and a rudder 14. The rudder 14 controls the direction in which the machine is travelling and the elevator 13 controls its height when it is being driven in a horizontal plane only., The wings 11 arepreferably shap d as shown Fig. 1, and are adapted to port the ma chine whenit is travelling horizontally only. The machine is provided with two propellers 15 whichare adapted to propel it horizontally. The propellers 15 comprise blades16 mounted on rings 17. The rings 17 are provided with teeth and form ring gears which are driven by pinions 18 mounted on the shaft of engine 19. The engine 19 is preferably an ordinary internal combustion engine andis arranged to drive both of the .rings 17 as shown in Fig. 1. The speed re- 1,001,956, dated Aug. 29, 1911.:

Mounted transversely in the body 10 there is an engine 20 which drives drive-shafts 21. The drive shafts 21 are preferably directly connected to the engine shaft and extend from both sides of the engine 20. They are carried in housings 22- whichare preferably made of thin light metal and extend from the engine 20 to the wings 11 as shown in Fig. 1. Portions 23 of the engine 20 are preferably made to form bearings for one end of the housings, while the other ends are supported by bearings 24 on the under side of the wings 11. The housings 22 are carried in the portions 23 and the bearings 24 so that they may berotated as will be hereinafter described. Carried by each housing 22 between the engine and the' wing there is a propeller 25. Each propeller 25 comprises blades 26 which are mounted on a ring gear 27. There may bev any suitable number of blades 26 mqunted on the rin gear 27 and said blades may be shaped and set in such a manner as to drive the machine most effectively. The ring gear 27 is preferably of considerable diameter and has gear teeth 28 on both sides or faces as' shown in the drawings. The ring gear 27 is driven by pinions 30 which are mounted on drive shaft 21. The ring gear 27 is tilted or set at such an angle as to allow one of the pinions 30 to engage one face of the ring gear 27 while the other pinion 30 engages the other face, as shown in Fig. 4. This arrangement causes both the pinions 30 to drive the ring gear 27 in the same direction and causes the driving strain to be divided between the pinions 30 rather than be concentrated on a single pinion. The dividing of the driving strain between the two pinions 30 causes a distribution of strains in the ring gear and thereby prevents twisting or warping of said gear. The fact thatv the ring gear '27 does not have a tendency to twist or war allows it to run true and thereby allows tiie pinions 30 to properly and accurately engage the teeth 28. The proper engagement of the pinions 30 and the teeth '28 decreases friction due to improper meshing of the gear teeth, thereby causing the efliciency of the drive to be very high. Another very important feature which accompanies this arrangement. is the durability of the gears. Due to the proper alignment of the inion 30 and'the gear 27 and the dis-- tribution of the driving strains between the two pinions, the wear on the teeth of the pinions and the gear is very slight. This slight wear between the pinions and the gear not only makes'the life of the mechanism long but also'allows it to be operated for a longtime without resetting or lining the gear and pinions. Although a single propeller 25 has been shown and described in connection with each drive shaft 21, it will be understood that several propellers may be arranged in connection with each shaft if so desired. A

The engine 20 is preferably a highspeed powerful engine and the speed reductionb'etween the inions 30 and the gear 27 is preferably sufli cient to cause the propeller 25 to be driven at its most effective speed. It will be readily understood that by varying the size of the pinions or by varying the diameter of the wear that the speed reduction can be easily changed.

Near each pinion 30 there is a bearing casting 40 which supports drive shaft 21. Each casting 40 is mounted in an enlarged portion 41 of the housing 22. Extending from the inside or inner edge of ring 27 there is a rib or flange 43. Mounted on the shaft 21 between the casting 40 and the pinion 30 there is a roller 44which. engages one side of flange 43, as shown in Fig. 3. Pivotally mounted in the casting there are two rollers 45 which engage the other side 'of flange 43 and pivotally mounted in the the flange 43 by the rollers 44, 45 and 47 firmly supports the ring gear 27 in position, and it will be noted that the gear 27 is supported at the point where it is in engagement with pinion 30. The particular feature of this construction is the-elimination of .parts such as spokes, hubs, bearings, etc. .This manner of supporting the gear 27 eliminates parts and thereby makes the mechanism simple and extremely light. The lightness of construction is a very important feature as lightness of construction in heavier than air machines is very essential. It will be noted that the rollers 45 are spaced some distance apart and that they are mounted in the casting 40 which is mounted on the housing 22. By this arrangement it will be readily understood that. rotation of housing 22 will cause tilting of ring gear 27. It is by rotation of housings 22 that itis possible to tilt or turn the propellers 25 so as to be in the same plane as the propellers 15 and thereby assist propellers 15 in drivin the machine horizontally. It will be un erstood. however, that it isnot necessary to'tilt the propellers 25'until they are in the same. plane with propellers 15, but they may be tilted to any desirable angle or plane between is set in this manner-that is, when all of nisms, thereby making it possible to adjust the horizontal and the vertical plane. Any

suitable mechanism may be used in connecconnected to independent levers 54. This arrangement provides a simple and effective control by which the housings 22.may be independently adjusted;

It will be readily understood from the foregoing description of the construction.

of ,the machine how it may. be controlled and operated. Upon leaving the' .ground and upon alighting it is preferred to use only the vertical propellers, as the machine may be raised or lowered by varying the speed of rotation of the propellers 25. For instance, when it is desired to descend, the speed of the propellers 25 may be reduced .until their effect i's'not sufficient to drive the machine upwardly. When the machine has reached asufficient altitude, and it is desired to drive it horizontally only, the

vertical propellers [25 may be tilted by the mechanism hereinabove described so that they are in the same plane and thereby assist as the propellers '15. When the machine the propellers are tending to drive it horizontally, a very high speed may be" attained. It will be noted that the propellers 25 are provided with independent tilting mechasaid propellers independently.

Having shown and described a preferred form inwhich the invention may bodied, I do not wish to limit myself to the particular details hereinabove set forth but wish to reserve to myself any changes or modifications that may appear to those skilled in the art which may fall. in the scope of the following claims.

Having described a preferred form of invention, I claim:

1. In a flying machine, propelling means comprising an annular member having blades extending 'from it and having gear teeth on two faces, a drive shaft, two pinions mounted-on the shaft adapted to engage the teeth on opposite faces of said annular portion, and driving means for said shaft. 7

2. In-a flying machine, propelling-means comprising an annular member having blades extending from it and having gear teeth on two faces,- a drive shaft, two pinions mounted on the shaft adapted to engage the teeth on opposite faces of said annular member, driving means for said'shaft, and

supporting means for said annular member near its points of contact with said pinions.

-3. In a flying machine, propelling means comprising an annular" member having be em two pinions mounted on the shaft adapted.

to engage the teeth on opposite faces of said annular member, and a shaft housing carrying supporting means for said shaft and said annular member, there being supporting means near each pinion.

Pcomprising an annular member having blades extending from it and having gear teeth on two opposite faces, a drive shaft,

two pinions mounted on the shaft adapted n a flying machine, propelling means to engage the teeth on opposite faces of.

said annular member, and, arotatable housing carrying supporting means ,for said shaft-and said annular'member, there being supporting means near each pinion.

I 5. Inv a flying machine, propelling means comprising an annular member having blades extending from it and having gear teeth on two opposite faces, a flange on the annular member, a drive shaft, two pinions mounted on the shaft adaptedto engage the teeth on opposite faces of said annular annular member, said means comprising a roller adapted to engage the inner periphery of said flange, aroller'adapted to. engage one side of said flange and a roller adapted to engage the other side of said flange.

, 6. In a flying machine, propelling means comprising an. annular member having blades extending from it and having gear teeth on two opposite faces, a flange on the annular member, a drive shaft, two pinions mounted on the shaft adapted to engage the teeth on opposite faces of said annular member, and supporting means for said annular member, said means comprising a roller adapted to engage the inner periphery of said flange, a roller adapted to engageone side of said flange, and a plurality of rollers adapted to engage the other side of said flange "at circumferentially spaced points. i

7. In a flying. machine, propelling means comprising an annular member having blades extending from it and having gear teeth on two opposite faces, a flange on the annular member, a drive shaft, two pinions mounted on the shaft adapted to engage the teeth on opposite faces of said annular member', and a rotatable shaft housing, supporting means for said annular member carried by the housing, said means comprising a roller adapted to engage the inner periphery of said flange, a roller adapted to engage one side of said-"flange; and a plurality of rollers adaptedto engage the other side of said flange at circumferentially spaced points, said supporting means causing, tilt- '90 member, and supporting means for said blades extending from it andihaving gear 7 teeth on opposite faces, a drive shaft, pinlons mounted on the shaft adapted to engage the teeth on opposite faces of said annular member, a rotatable housing for the shaft, and means carried by the housing at the pinions to support the annular member and to cause tilting of the annular member when the housing is rotated.

10. In a flying machine propelling means comprising,-a shaft, means for driving the shaft, and an annular member arranged on the shaft to be driven by the shaft at'two spaced points, the annular member having blades extending from it and having its axis at substantially right angles to the axis of the shaft.

11. In a fiyingmachine, propelling means comprising, a shaft, means for driving the shaft, and an annular member arranged on I the shaft to be driven by the shaft attwo diametrically opposite points, the annular member having blades extending from it and having its axis at substantially right angles to the axis of the shaft.

12 In a flying machine, propelling means comprising, a shaft, pinions mounted on the shaft, means, for driving the shaft, and an annular member, with blades extending from it and gear teeth on two faces, arranged on the shaft so that the gear teeth on each face are engaged by a pinion and so that the points of engagement between the pinions and the gear teeth are diametrically opposlte.

13. In a shaft, pinions mounted on the shaft, a plurality of annular members having gear teeth on two faces and 'having blades extending from them, a plurality of housings rotatably carried on the shaft and means carried by each housing to support one of said members so that the gear teeth on each of its faces are engaged by a pinion and so that the points-of engagement between the pinions and the gear teeth are diametrically opposite eachiannular member having its axis at substantially right angles to the axis of the 'shaft and being adapted to tilt on the shaft upon rotation of its housing.

. In witness that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto subscribed my name this 14th day of July 1919.

I DWIGHT B. H-oLsoN. Witness:

' VIRGINIA I. BERINGER.

flying machine propelling means comprising, a shaft, means for driving the 

